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Art by YuriCantrell on Deviantart and Tumblr

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Link and I had traveled for about a day, side by side. We'd been on horseback for hours, until we reached a marshy area. We were unable to take our mounts any further, as it soon became too difficult for them to walk. We left them at a nearby stable and trudged onward. Though I missed my (h/n), the area we ventured through was quite beautiful. The water was crystalline and clear, and I felt refreshed as we stepped through the shallow pools. I smiled as the sun reflected off of the calm water and golden lotus pods.

One look at Link assured me that he was enjoying himself as well. His ecstatic expression never left his face as he moved. He raised a hand, and allowed a reddish dragonfly to dance across his fingers. Link was practically beaming as he turned towards me, introducing his new pet. I chuckled and shook my head.

Link seemed unfazed, and enjoyed holding the small creature before it flew off. We spent another minute or so in silence, until I felt something move across my foot. I cried out and stared down, so see a frog settled nearby. Link took notice of the slimy creature and crouched down, hoping to catch the tiny beast. I stifled a laugh as Link stared at the frog, serious as can be. With that, he leapt forward, missing entirely. His entire frontside became soaked as the amphibian jumped onto and off of his blonde head. I burst out laughing and stepped forward, seizing the frog. Link stared up at me bashfully as I tucked the frog away into a satchel.

I continued to laugh as I extended a hand. Link sent me a mischievous glare and grabbed my hand. My smile was replaced with shock as he tugged me down into the water with him. I fell with a splash beside him. I raised my head from the water and brushed the soaking (h/c) hair from my eyes. My mouth hung open as I feigned anger. "Ohoho you're so dead!" I announced as I pounced on him, cutting off his laughter as he was pressed down.

Once pinned, he stared upwards in fake annoyance, his eyes glittering with malice. I figured he'd resigned, so I loosened my grip a bit. He took advantage of this and flipped us over, splashing me with water again. My hair hung low in my face, weighed down by the pond water. We began to laugh uncontrollably as he tried to move the (h/c) locks from my sight.

I sat up as soon as I could see and smiled, wiping the water from my eyelashes. I couldn't fully tell if the liquid was from the pond, or from the tears that had sprung up as I laughed hysterically. "Not as strong as you act, huh kid?" Link smirked, taunting me. I rolled my eyes and pressed my foot to the back of his head. "Wha-" I pushed his head back into the water before rushing off, picking up frogs as I evaded the angry blonde boy chasing me.

Soon enough, Link and I stood side by side once more, dripping with pond water and smiling. I swiftly removed my hood, as it was beginning to weigh me down. As I did so, I heard a voice beside me that did not belong to the young hero. One of my hands instinctively reached for my spear, whilst the other pushed Link behind me. The speaker squeaked, a bit startled by our reactions.

I looked down to see a young Zora woman swimming nearby. "H-hello!" She cried. I lowered my arms and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry... Hello." The lady took a breath and relaxed. Link waved, smiling. The Zora seemed to remember why she'd called out to us once she saw Link. "Oh! You're Hylians aren't you?" She asked excitedly. Link nodded. She sighed in relief. "Allow me to explain. I was instructed by Prince Sidon to find a Hylian and send them to Zora's domain!" She announced in a light, airy voice. "Technically, I'm supposed to be working right now... I-if you go to see the Prince, please don't tell him I was lazing around!" Link and I agreed and she sighed in relief once more. "Oh, good! Though I suppose I was rather lucky to have stopped here to swim. This allowed me to find not one, but two Hylians!" The Zora girl seemed rather pleased with herself for a moment, before begging us to see her Prince again. "Please, will you go to Prince Sidon? I'm afraid we're in need of your help... He will explain when you arrive." Link raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Where can we find this Prince?"

She raised an arm and pointed off into the distance. "Up river from here, you should come across a bridge. He should be waiting for you there! Best of luck!" With that, she returned to leisurely swimming around the ponds. Link and I nodded and took off, deciding to travel by hiking instead of swimming through the rivers. The area around us became dark and damper than before. My boots slipped in the mud with each step taken as rain fell down heavily. I stared up at the dark clouds that had gathered above and around Zora's domain and shivered, unhappy with the sudden change in tone.

After a rough hike, a shrine, and battles with a few minor monsters, we had reached the aforementioned bridge. The bridge was lined with beautiful pieces of architecture, glowing blue despite the gloomy atmosphere and low hanging fog. Link and I marveled at the construction until we heard a voice above us. "Say, hey there! Young ones! Up above you!" Link and I stared upwards to the top of the buildings, only to see a Zora jump down to us. I immediately identified him as the Prince Sidon we had heard so much about. I gasped as he stood up, as he towered over the both of us. He was far taller than the Zora we encountered beforehand, and he was dressed regally, with charms of silver and jewels galore. He looked down at us as soon as he'd landed, happy to encounter the Hylians he was looking for.

I gulped nervously as he began to speak. "Excuse me, but you're Hylians aren't you? I was hoping you could spare a moment." He eyed each of us in turn, nodding to Link before turning to me. He sent me a toothy grin and kneeled down, extending a hand. I was taken by surprise. It wasn't every day a girl had a Prince kneel in her presence. I reached out shakily and allowed him to take my tiny hand in his much larger one. A gentle kiss was pressed to the back of my hand as he greeted me. My heart jumped as he did so. "So, I was correct? You are Hylian, my lady?" I blinked and regained control of myself. "Y-yes. Both of us are Hylian." The Prince smiled and stood up. "Aha! As I suspected. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sidon, the Zora Prince!" He announced, flashing us a triumphant smile that sparkled despite the gloomy atmosphere. My heart fluttered a bit as I smiled sweetly.

He returned to his typical pose. "And what are your names? Go on, don't be shy!" Link spoke first, introducing us both. "My name's Link, and this is (y/n)." Sidon smiled brightly as he spoke and began gesturing wildly. "Link and (y/n)? Wonderful names, truly! Though I feel as though I have heard them before." He hummed as he searched his memory for a moment, hoping to recognize us. Sidon shook his head. "Anyway, to be completely honest, I have been watching bits of your adventure. Surely, you are no ordinary people! The way you fought to reach this location was truly remarkable!" Link scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as the Prince continued to compliment us. "Yes, yes, I have an unparalleled eye for talent, which leads me to believe you two are highly regarded warriors of your race!" I shrugged. "I suppose."

He grinned and began gesturing once more. "Incredible! I knew you two were special! I have been searching for a pair such as yourselves for quite a bit now, Link and (y/n). You see, Zora's domain is in great danger right now. The Divine Beast Vah Ruta has unleashed a ceaseless stream of rain. Please, could you lend us your aid?" Link nodded. "Ah! Thank you! Won't you please follow me to Zora's domain, then?" We agreed, and he turned around, gesturing to the vast system of rivers that cut through the mountainside.

"I'm afraid the rain has made it all but impossible to climb, so you'll need to follow this path instead. Be warned, the path to our domain can be quite treacherous for those who cannot swim upriver. I wish you luck, you're in for a battle." He posed once more, offering his trademarked smile. "Don't give up! I believe in you!" I couldn't help but feel a swell of determination spring up within me. If Sidon believed I could do this, then surely I could. The Prince waved once last time before launching himself into the river and beginning his journey to Zora's domain. Link sent me a reassuring smile as we began the dangerous climb.

The climb itself was quite a pain, but thoughts of the Prince and his people inspired us to continue. Sidon greeted us at various points along the way, offering words of advice and encouragement. Link and I fought on, until we finally reached a cliff. Far below was a long bridge, constructed of the same luminescent stone from before. I readied my paraglider and jumped, Link following close behind. I landed gracefully on the bridge and turned, admiring the glowing columns that lined the bridge. Link landed behind me in a heap, before quickly standing up to cover up his failure. I rolled my eyes and kept walking. My footsteps echoed across the strange bridge.

As we reached the end of it, it felt as though we had stepped into another world. Every piece of architecture glowed brightly, piercing through the hazy rain. Link and I stared in awe. Prince Sidon ran forward, happy so see us alive. "I've been waiting for you two! Behold, Zora's Domain!" He announced, gesturing to the palace with pride. I gave him a smile as I examined my surroundings. "It is truly incredible." He grinned, his sharp teeth visible. "Thank you! Now, I will introduce you to our King. Come quickly."

He turned around and strode to the center of the palace. Link and I followed behind, examining the marvel that was Zora's Domain. Many of the fish-like people walked around, attempting to keep their spirits up despite the rain. A small Zora, seemingly a child, ran around us. It looked as though he was searching for something. He seemed distressed, so I knelt down next to him. "Hello?" I offered.

He glanced up from the ground and said hello. I asked him what he was doing. "Well, my mom, Mei, has been missing since the rainstorm began. I'm gathering hot-footed frogs to sell!" My smile faltered and he frowned. "I don't need to be pitied you know. But... do you have any frogs with you?" I thought to the pouch I'd placed my collection of frogs in. I nodded and he smiled brightly. I turned my back to retrieve my pouch. When I was sure he couldn't see what I was doing, I slipped a few silver rupees into the bottom of the satchel, hidden below the frogs. I pretended to have been counting them. "1..2..3..4..5! How does five sound?"

His face lit up as I offered the pouch to him. "Thank you Miss-?" I smiled. "(Y/n)." He took the satchel. "My name's Tumbo." I stood up, happy to have made his day. "Nice meeting you, Tumbo!" I called as we continued on. He thanked me once more. Link had been watching me this entire time. Apparently he'd seen me place the extra rupees inside. "You're a saint." I smirked with a shrug. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Below the palace sat a shrine, we elected to come back to that later, once we'd spoken to the King. The walkways were slick with flowing water, which made for a moderately difficult trek. Though nothing could quite compare to the hike we'd taken to get here. After a large amount of stairs, we finally reached the throne room. Sidon waved to us from inside. He stood next to a greenish Zora and a- "Holy shit!" Link whispered in my ear, expressing my thoughts exactly. The Zora that sat on the throne was gigantic! He was many times bigger than even Prince Sidon. We assumed him to be the King, and stepped forward to greet him.

He smiled brightly when he saw us. "Ah, the Hylians. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dorephan, King of the Zora. I had Prince Sidon bring you here beca-" His eyes widened as he stopped himself. "You there. Boy. Is that a Sheikah Slate on your waist?" Link nodded slowly. The King stared at us in shock before nodding in understanding. "Aha! Now that I've taken a closer look, your identities are clear!" He faced Link. "You are Link! The Hylian Champion! Along with (y/n), your guardian!"

We exchanged a look of confusion and the King frowned. "Oh my... You have forgotten me." Sidon spoke up. "You really are? You cannot seriously mean the two heroes from 100 years past, can you?" He raised his arms triumphantly. "Aha! So that's why you seemed so very familiar! What a coincidence." He mused to himself. The King smiled sadly. "We have met many times before, my friends. I believed you two to have died in combat... yet here you are!" I nodded, swallowing my nerves. "It's us, but I'm afraid we don't remember you... we've lost all of our memories from the war and beforehand." He shook his head. "But you must remember my daughter, Mipha?"

We stared back blankly. "I cannot believe this... You were so close... I suppose the statue outside did not jog your memories either?" Sidon cut in. "Father, I do not believe this is the best time to discuss my sister. They appear to be confused." He agreed. "Very well. You have done well to bring these heroes here, my son." Sidon shone with pride.

"Now then. I must ask for your help. The rainfall from Vah Ruta threatens to bring down Zora's domain. I'm afraid we cannot stop it alone. Will you aid us?" The green Zora behind yelled, cutting off our responses. "You cannot be serious! Allowing the Hylians to aid us?!" Prince Sidon became cross. "Muzu, do not speak to our guests this way! Especially in the presence of the King! You must know we have no choice but to plead with the Hylians." The King nodded solemnly. "If this rainfall continues, all of Hyrule could be swallowed by the sea. We must come together, despite our differences, to put a stop to this." Muzu cut in once more, adding to my annoyance. "They are not be trusted! They're the reason Hyrule is in the state it is today!" He pointed a finger at us. "It is because of you Lady Mipha was defeated in battle!" The King took a breath and addressed us. "Heroes, we cannot allow the Divine Beast to continue."

As soon as he spoke, the very ground seemed to shake, as the Divine Beast cried out once more. Link grabbed my hand, shamelessly pulling me closer to him as the giant beast rose from the far off lake. My (e/c) eyes widened in shock as the creature revealed itself. I blinked and looked downward, to where Link's arm was securely wrapped around my waist. I pushed him away, unhappy with his overprotective motions.

The King ignored this movement and continued. "Your Princess Zelda once studied the beast, and concluded that it generates water due to the orbs on its back. However, these require electricity to operate. I'm afraid we cannot stop the flow, as Zora's are unable to handle any electrically charged items. We're going to need you to fire shock arrows at the beast, and reclaim it before it is too late." We agreed quickly, explaining that Zelda had instructed us to do the very same. He was rather surprised, as he hadn't expected Zelda to still be alive. Clearly, we Hylians had a knack for returning from the dead.

He leaned back, impressed. "Incredible... Well, if we control the Divine Beast, we could aid you in the battle against Calamity Ganon." I nodded and Sidon sent me an award winning smile. "Wonderful! I will help you in any way I can, my lady!" I returned his smile, though mine was considerably less razor sharp. The King smiled. "Well then, you will need this gift." He extended a large hand, which held an armor piece clearly crafted by the Zora. "It will allow you to climb waterfalls as we do." Link took the tunic graciously and turned to show me. My eyes widened as I stared at the armor, memories flashing before my eyes while Muzu began to angrily rant once more.

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I was sitting beneath a waterfall. My (h/c) hair was tied into intricate braids, that flowed downwards much like the water around me. A Zora woman sat nearby, diligently working to piece together the armor. I adjusted my position to watch her work. "How's it going, Mipha?" She sent me a sweet smile. "Wonderfully, though this is a rather difficult project. It must be just so before I can deliver it." I smirked. "And who might you be delivering it to?" Her joyous smile grew all the more loving as she thought of who would receive the tunic. "Link of course..." I continued to smile, not knowing what this truly meant. Mipha and I had become close friends. We both shared a common goal. To protect the hero. I had assumed this was just another way to do so. I leaned back and watched as her hands moved to complete the piece. "It's beautiful, Mipha. He will love it." She breathed a sigh of relief, admiring her work. "Thank you, (y/n). I truly hope so."

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Link was shaking my shoulder lightly. The royal Zora's stared at me as he did so. Muzu had stormed away already. The King reexplained what he had said while I was spacing out. "As I mentioned, Muzu was the one to educate my daughter. It is particularly hard for him to trust you. Please forgive him." Link nodded as I blinked rapidly, recovering from my sudden recollection. "Thank you both for agreeing to help. You must begin by gaining Muzu's trust, as he has located the shock arrows you need to fight Vah Ruta." Sidon stepped forward. "Worry not! I will help you with that." He said, walking out of the palace after Muzu.

The King mumbled to himself about telling Muzu the truth before instructing us to meet Sidon in the square below. "I wish you the best of luck, Heroes." Link and I nodded graciously and turned, making our way down the stairs. Link stopped me midway. "What happened back there?" I shook my head, baffled. "I remembered her, Mipha. She made that armor... for you." Link gave me an incredulous look. "Strange... are you sure?" I nodded quickly. "Yes, yes. We seemed to be close friends. She told me it was for you." Link thought for a moment, probably wondering why he would be given the armor. "Well then, I guess we should continue." He finally said. I nodded, leading the way down the staircase. "You were special to her, Link, I could see it." He bit his lip, ashamed to have forgotten. "It's alright. You will remember her someday. I know it".

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